If three-quarters of them came ashore, more than 12,480 men, women and children had the opportunity to explore stores, restaurants and structures that didn’t exist 78 years ago, along with the island’s distinctive natural attractions.

In port for the day were Carnival Breeze, Regal Princess, Nieuw Amsterdam, Celebrity Silhouette and Liberty of the Seas. Christmas Day also brought five cruise ships to Cayman, carrying 14,310 passengers.

In 2014, just over 1.6 million cruise ship passengers visited the Cayman Islands.

Five cruise ships and more than 16,000 passengers descended on George Town on Wednesday, one of the busiest cruise days of the year. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY